Utah Jazz: Deron Williams named Western Conference player of the week

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz's road trip didn't just catch the attention of teams in Miami, Orlando, Atlanta and Charlotte. The NBA's front office also noticed.

Deron Williams was named by the league today as the Western Conference player of the week after leading the Jazz to a 4-0 record and a handful of come-from-behind victories.

Utah's Paul Millsap, who sparked the Miami win with a 46-point career night and three consecutive late-game 3-pointers, was also nominated for the Jazz.

For the four games, Williams averaged 23 points, 11.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds, and his play was one of the big reasons Utah, now 7-3 and riding a five-game winning streak, was able to fight back from second-half double-digit deficits in each contest.

The All-Star point guard capped the unbelievable Southeastern sweep with a game-winning floater with 0.8 seconds to go against Charlotte.

In the back-to-back wins at Eastern Conference contenders Miami and Orlando, Williams was especially clutch in the fourth quarters when he averaged 14 points. Williams fouled out before Millsap's OT-forcing putback at Miami at the end of regulation, but he had 21 points and 14 assists before becoming a cheerleader in overtime for that memorable 116-114 comeback victory.

Chicago point guard Derrick Rose was named the Eastern Conference player of the week, helping the Bulls go 3-0 while averaging 21.3 points and 9.0 assists.